A website about children in Cyprus, places to visit, fun activities for kids and families alike, lessons and hobbies, sports, museums, parks, zoo, indoor and outdoor playgrounds, family and kids friendly hotels and restaurants, water parks, adventure parks, shops, plus kids news and information about schools, kindergartens and summer schools!

Activities by Area

Whether your little water bugs are just learning to swim or are looking to become even stronger swimmers, swimming lessons will help get ‘em ready to float, dunk and dive just about anywhere.

Swimming exercise involves cardiovascular activity, which enhances both heart and lung condition. Swimming also increases strength, endurance, flexibility and balance, thanks to the activity and movements involved in swim strokes.

Children who engage in regular swimming activity might avoid health issues associated with childhood obesity, including diabetes.
Spending time in the water can also be positive for children’s mental health. Swimming may improve mood and decrease anxiety. Families that spend time swimming together could experience enhanced family bonding. Kids could enjoy swimming more than other types of exercise, so, if you provide your children with opportunities to swim, they may be more likely to exercise.

Mother/Father and baby lessons are the best way to start having fun with your baby.
Work on the premise that babies have a 'diving reflex' and are thus able to swim underwater instinctively.The idea is to give your baby confidence in the water from a very early age, paving the way for more structured swimming lessons as they grow up.These very early swimming courses can take babies as young as six weeks old and are led by specialist teachers.

Choosing the
right school for your child could be a difficult decision. Parents will have to
think about so many issues. Should the school be private or public? Should
children be taught in English or Greek language? Would parents afford to pay
for a private education? How our children’s life will be improved by joining
the classes of the private school? American Academy School is one of the oldest
educational establishments in Cyprus that already proved its capacity to
educate children for more the 12 generation. ”Kids Fun in Cyprus“has the
pleasure to introduce you Mr.George Bargilis , the Managing Director of the American Academy School. He will be able to give our readers, the parents, some information and advice
regarding children’s education private standards in Cyprus.

Thank you so
much for taking time to share your insights and wisdom gleaned from your many
years in different positions in the education field. We are delighted that we
can share your expertise with our readers and the wider community.

Izzy: First,
starting at the beginning, you've spent the past 20 years in education. What
inspired you to go into teaching? Were you always interested in school
administration as a part of your career?

George Bargilis: I have been actively involved in education now for nearly twenty years.
My own children have been my own inspiration. Every parent wants the best for
their children. What is the purpose of education? Is it simply to acquire
the necessary academic skills to be able to serve society? Or is it to enable
each individual child to flourish and reach their highest potential as human
beings and make their own contribution to the betterment of our world. This is the
essence of the word “education” at the American Academy.

Izzy: Most of the
parents already know about the name “American Academy” as being a reputable and
trustful school in Limassol. What can you tell us about the history and future
of the school?

George Bargilis: The school in Limassol was founded 30 years ago, with the education of
children in mind. It has grown from a small school of about 80 pupils, with
just one primary and secondary school, to what we consider a community today. A
new momentum has taken off in the American Academy during the past two years, a
lot of fresh ideas having been introduced along with some innovative
concepts. With our thirty year anniversary
beginning with the academic year 2016/17, there will be a lot to look forward
to.

Izzy: What is the
main ethos of the school and why it was chosen? Do you believe that your
targets are the same ones expected by parents from an educational
establishment?

George Bargilis: “Wisdom above all in a loving and caring environment for every child”; this
is the motto at the core of our school philosophy. Is there anything else any
parent would want for their child? We don’t simply teach at the American
Academy, educate. We provide a supportive environment which recognizes each
individual’s talents, encourages students’ aspirations and creates
opportunities for them to acquire the knowledge, skills and qualifications
needed to develop their personal qualities necessary for their future lives.

Izzy: How do you
find the American Academy School’s children? Happy to join the classes every
day or too busy studying? Can American Academy School provide a balance between
the times spend on main fields and the other activities? What about theater, sports and arts and what
about of having fun?

George Bargilis: The comments we usually have from parents is that their children get up
in the morning and are looking forward to go to school. They are happy to be
here. If there are exceptions, as there are in all aspects of life, we try to
find the root of the problem and seek for solutions, making it a priority to
ensure that each child and their parents are satisfied with our services.

Our first concern is the academic performance of the child but we also
emphasize a versatile and well-rounded development through their own personal
experience within the school. Sports and the arts are encouraged throughout all
ages via various activities like sports days, school performances and
competitions.

We combine various excursions and
activities with lessons being done within the school. All children with us
become involved in charity work, science and geography through experiments and
also have the opportunity to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Award, which
in itself combines, hiking, volunteering and learning basic survival skills for
camping and living alone.

Izzy: “We believe
that a good school is one that educates students for a successful life in both
the academic arena and real life situations by communicating effectively,
respecting individual differences and setting high standards for students,
staff and administrators”. The above declaration is part of the ethos of the
school. What are your techniques to improve communication between teacher and
students and between students in order to facilitate a relaxing learning
environment where children do not feel stressed? Is the teacher a “bad boss”
over a group of small children or a friend? Would you say that your approaching
is a successful one? How is the bulling taking care in a school with
multinational students?

George Bargilis: We agree with your way of thinking. This is exactly what we are about. We
encourage an open relationship between teachers and students, easily accessible
at all times.

There are no “bosses” at the American Academy. There is constant team
work between staff and students and continuous collaboration in order to
achieve the desired results. In spite of the multicultural character of the
school, there is no bullying at the American Academy. The philosophy of the
school and the entire approach eradicates any unpleasantness that usually
arises with bullying.

Izzy: What
opportunities are you creating for gifted children? Would you be able to say
that they will find at American Academy School the perfect place to evolve and
to be noticed?

George Bargilis: For those children who need it, we offer a personalized accelerated
learning programme according to their individual needs, whether that being
higher level classes or even help for students that face learning difficulties
and ensuring that each and every student thrives.

Izzy: How does
the standard of education compare with that of the U.K. that many of the expats
are used to? Class size? Level of professionalism? Understanding of child
psychology? Are the graduated students of American Academy on the same level as
their U.K. peers when applying for a university?

George Bargilis: The level of education is the same as that of the UK, yet in regards to
results, we can proudly say that our results are higher than that of the UK.
Our graduates have been known to obtain an average of 4 A’ levels at the
American Academy unlike the average of 3 in UK. Our students last year managed
to achieve 45% results in an A or A* grade in their A levels in comparison to
the UK of 28%. We also had 100% pass rate which we were very proud of, which
has remained a consistent percentage for the past 5 years. This may be due to a
number of factors as for example smaller class sizes but also the care and
attention we offer our students on an individual basis.

Izzy: Why would
you encourage expats parents and Cypriot parents to enroll their children at
your school? What are the advantages in comparison with other international
schools in Limassol?

George Bargilis: The personalized and individual attention we offer children is out
strongest point. They are not simply names in a class register but young
individuals with their own thoughts, their own mind, their own ideas, who need
guidance and care in cultivating their individuality. We have to offer them the
best support possible so they can grow into independent thinkers as adults,
ready to face the challenges of our ever changing world.

Izzy: Parents in Cyprus are used now to send their children to a public school
and then to occupy their time by sending them to more tiring afternoon classes
to compensate for the absence of various English/UK degrees.Is American Academy
offering a better educational/financial solution for the children to obtain the
same degrees?"

George Bargilis: Definitely, studying
at the American Academy results in a drastic reduction or even exemption from
private afternoon lessons. Our academic programs are structured in such a way,
so as to make the use of private lessons unnecessary and at the same time
facilitate the process of students entering a University of their choice.

This offers
additional benefits to families as they save time and money and converts the
free time children have into the ability to do something more constructive or
they can spend with their parents or become involved with additional hobbies.

Izzy: Thank you
one more time for the time taken to reply to our questions and we wish to
American Academy School many successful years to come. At Kids Fun in Cyprus we have a habit now. We
ask our interviewers to share with us a story, an experience or simply a
thought. What would be yours?

George Bargilis:

A story-A young Palestinian boy, somewhere in Gaza, is hurt
badly by a bomb. Through the various medical and refugee channels, he finds
himself in our school on a full boarding scholarship. He finds himself in a
foreign country, hurt physically and emotionally with no knowledge of the
English language. Now, a few years later, he studies at the University of
Nicosia on a scholarship he earned on his own merit. This is what makes our
school a caring school, a school where children thrive, regardless of what
their social, financial or academic background is.

An experience-The first time I was present in our graduation
ceremony of our final year students, I was so moved by the experience, I was
overwhelmed by a special kind of joy that reached the depths of my soul. The
experience, this feeling, has been accompanying me during every graduation I
attended over the years. There is a special sense of fulfillment in knowing
that you played a very important role in these young people’s lives, during a
very important part of their lives and helped them to acquire all the necessary
tools for them to walk into a world full of challenges and unpredictability.

A thought-“ A hundred years from now it
will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the
kind of car I drove... but the world may be different because I was important
in the life of a child”.

Information about the school: The
American Academy (Private) School of Limassol is a multicultural community
which provide quality education in a caring environment for children in
Kindergarten, Primary and Secondary levels all the way to university entrance,
from Cyprus and the whole world.

Curriculum followed: British National Curriculum

Language of study: English & Greek

No. Pupils in a classroom: 15-20

Entrance exams: Compulsory Secondary School Exams in
Mathematics & English/Greek (depending on whether or not the child will be
joining our Greek School or our English School)

A little world for boys and girls … that teaches you big
things … the culinary world. The place where children start learning about
food, about healthy food, about how to be able any time to enjoy cooking as
much as eating. The lessons that will teach kids to be proud of their
accomplishments. The art of cooking will be slowly discovered by all the
children at Alfa Culinary School in Nicosia.

Mini chefs can learn their way around the kitchen, practice
basic safety and techniques, and whip up tasty dishes in these cooking classes
for kids starting 5 years old. Alfa Culinary Academy offers also the
opportunity for parents to follow Cookery Classes and Sugar Craft and Pastry Classes.

Alfa Culinary Academy is the perfect recipe for teaching
children that cooking is an enduring life skill that can be artistic, creative,
and sometimes quite surprising! Depending on the age of the participants, each class incorporates culinary skills that
build upon each other to progress into more complex food preparation, such as
leavening, tempering, knife skills docking and piping, just to name a few.
What's docking you ask? Niki Charalambous the Chef cook and teacher would be
happy to give to your children all the explanations!

Alfa Culinary and Beverage
Academy offers cooking classes to children in a safe and professional environment
that encourages discovery and creativity. While learning culinary skills is the
main ingredient at Alfa, each class adds a heap of kitchen safety, a scoop of
etiquette, a handful of table setting, a pinch of menu planning, and laughter
to taste.

Parents love watching their "young chef" grows
with confidence and knowledge as they create these recipes at home and develop
life-long skills while having FUN!

One of the greatest benefits of letting kids cook is the
sense of achievement and self-sufficiency that they experience. More
importantly, they are likely to be less picky about eating food if they have
helped to prepare it. By making it fun, kids also learn to participate in
household chores without perceiving it as something they are forced to do. Beyond
this, children will also gain a better appreciation for the amount of work and
thought that really goes into preparing meals.

Learning to Cook is a great opportunity for children to know
about healthy and unhealthy foods. Going one step further, it is best to make
them understand about how to cook in a healthy manner (for example, limiting
the use of oil), so that they grow up with smart standards.

At Alfa Academy, Mrs. Niki Charalambous take the, mystery
out of cooking by providing an interactive learning experience that gives
children the opportunity to develop a life-long love for the culinary arts.

Cooking it is an art that can change your children’s life
forever. Starting from their eating habits, to the way they will enjoy their
time spend in the kitchen to… a successful adult job!

“Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of
creative effort!”

The happiness will be in your eyes, when you will complete
your work, a little piece of art … and you will always remember the day your
daddy took you to your first culinary lessons. A special gift from your
parents!

Lots of sunny days from Izzy the Cypriot lizard!

Alfa Culinary and Beverage Academy

Address: 93 B,
Kyrenia Avenue, Shop 2, Aglantzia, Nicosia, Cyprus

Lesson schedule: Every
Saturday 10:00 – 12:00

Price for lessons:
65€ per month (1 time per week)

Language: English and Greek languageAge: 5 years old .... to 100 years old

·Comprehension: Reading and understanding
step-by-step directions, adding ingredients in sequence, and techniques such as
folding and blending, are all important components to yielding the finished
food product.

·Real Life Science: Cooking is a science
experiment. Too much salt, baking powder, not enough flour, or the wrong timing
and you're likely to have a flop on your hands. Cooking provides an opportunity
for kids to get hands-on experience with basic science.

·Self-Esteem: Cooking allows kids to get instant
feedback, which helps them learn and grow in self-knowledge. Learning a new
skill, such as baking or cooking, is known to help grade school children with
healthy self-esteem development.

·Communication: A relaxed atmosphere in the
kitchen offers an opportunity to talk, about anything! Parents can take
advantage of this, especially with teens, as communication is a key element to
raising a well-adjusted, healthy child.

·Life Skills: Cooking is a life skill, much like
driving a car, learning to read, or swimming. As children grow and get closer
to adulthood, the job of feeding becomes theirs.